The Arranged Marriage
by Rosiboze
Summary: The kingdom is at a point of collapse, threatened by Lord Voldemort and his army in the East. Lily must secure the fate of the kingdom by submitting into an arranged marriage. Lily is faced with marrying someone she has never met, cutting ties with her friend, Severus and accepting the fact that she'll never find love. But maybe love is right before her eyes... (Rating might go up)
1. Chapter 1

The Arrangement

Chapter 1

Lily Evans gaped, her green almond shaped eyes wide and disbelieving as she sat at the long dining table.

"Darling, close your mouth, you'll catch flies. Besides, it's not as if we had a choice!" Amelia, Lily's mother, tried to explain. Her father, George, the King of their Kingdom, meanwhile gazed out the window, awaiting the tempest about to wreak havoc.

"Of course you had a choice! You always have a choice!" Shrieked Lily, her arms flying wildly, trying to find some way of venting her frustration. Her untameable red curls quivering with anger.

"Look, love," her father spoke this time, as his wife opened her mouth to answer their daughter. "The kingdom of Gryffindor is failing. There's no denying, and there is only one way to save it! We must get you married to secure the future of our home, and the home of hundreds of others I might add."

"Then let me decide! Let me fall in love and secure the kingdom then!"

"Love, we don't have that much time. You know troops are preparing to march in the east. Lord Voldemort will show no mercy and we need allies! I'm afraid it's the only way." George looked at his shining leather boots.

"But father-" Lily protested, but as she said this a lump of realisation rose in her throat.

"Darling the wedding is in a week. We must get this moving and must send a letter to your match's kingdom."

"Please..." Lily begged quietly before seeing the stern look in her fathers eye. Her head drooped and hands fidgeting in her lap.

"Seriously? That's mental..." Sighed Marlene, Lily's friend who had been visiting for a couple of weeks from her parents castle in the kingdom of Ravenclaw. Marlene was quite a pretty girl, with brown hair to her shoulders (cut herself) and dark mischievous eyes that matched her cheeky grin.

"I know! And I don't even know what his name is!"

"Lily, that is so unlucky. You'd better write and tell Samantha."

Samantha was Marlene and Lily's friend, whom also lived in Ravenclaw, despite both their families descending from Gryffindor. Samantha was a tall black girl with wide doe like eyes that Lily had envied since she was young. Truth be told, neither Marlene's nor Samantha's families really embraced the Ravenclaw culture and they visited Gryffindor regularly.

"Yeah, and I'd better tell Sev too."

"Oh shit, that's going to kill him Lils."

"I know," Lily groaned as she thought of the poor stable boy, who had fancied her from the moment he first met her. Her head sank onto the vast dressing table in her chambers, and accepting a state of melancholy self pity.

"I wonder who he is..." Pondered Marlene.

"Oh be quiet I don't want to think about it!"

"Ooh wouldn't it be bad if he was all pompous!"

Lily moaned into her arms.

"Marlene! Shut up!"

Lily's conversation with Severus went as bad as it could have gone. Lily thought Severus was going to cry. He was the same age as Lily, 17, but still, she thought she saw a distraught glimmer in his eyes.

He had very abruptly told her he had some work to do and Lily backed awkwardly out of the stables. She liked Severus, he had been a wonderful friend to her when Marlene and Samantha could only be contacted by letter. She had spent most of her childhood with Severus, but she wasn't sure that she really liked him. She had kissed him once, or rather he kissed her. It had been her first kiss and rather than think it had been a stepping stone, she rather felt it had been stolen from her. They had been twelve and one winters evening, huddled by the fire, Severus had uttered the words; "I really like you Lily," and Lily, naïve as she was had replied, "Oh, I really like you too Sev." And, taking this as a password, he leant over and kissed her determinedly. It had lasted only two seconds and Lily only had time to register what had happened once he leant back. Seeing the look on her face, he apologised profusely and went a deep shade if scarlet that momentarily blotched his sallow cheeks, before he hurriedly said goodnight and went down to his quarters.

Remembering this now, lying in her bed, Lily touched her lips. It was now three days before her wedding. A strange thought came to her, those lips had only ever been kissed by her family and Severus. And in a few days time, that would change. A stranger would have tainted them, made his mark. She was then meant to cherish him. In sickness and in health. Moonlight filtered through the heavy velvet curtains. Yesterday had been her dress fitting and as she tried it on the cold silk made her skin shiver and her heart clench like a sort of ogre was grabbing it. It was then that she had realised that this was forever. She could never find love of her own, never marry and never look this man in the eye and say I love you with peace in her heart.

Lily's toes curled under her down duvet. She had a few days. Samantha would be arriving tomorrow and her and Marlene would know how to make the most of those last few days.

Over the next few days, Lily had little chance to actually make the most of her last days as a single woman. It was mid December and the halls of Gryffindor Palace were icy and draughty, yet flurries of servants kept making preparations, running like urgent mice over the marble tiles. Lily, Marlene and Samantha probably would have found this amusing, if it weren't for the fact Lily was getting married in a couple of days. Instead Lily's mood had brought down the other two and due to the cold weather, they spent a lot of time just lying around in Lily's chambers and talking about the days when they were young and who they thought Lily's fiancé was. They had many a giggle about fantasy husbands from rotund princes to snooty lords.

The day before the wedding, there was a small complication that Queen Amelia almost had a panic attack over. It was snowing.

The delicate little flakes that were only sprinkles on the thick blanket that coated the grounds fell as a sort of tease to the poor queen who was already worried that the cake wouldn't get there in time. Servants hurried carrying letters and messages as well as baskets of confetti and long strands of creamy white ribbon through the now busy corridors. A large amount of guests had arrived over the week including prestigious families like the Greengrass family, the Shacklebolt family and the McKinnons, whose families went back generations, and were spending their hours either socialising in coffee chambers or taking strolls through the large castle. Lily found this quite unnerving as she knew that all of these people would be at her wedding, even though she didn't recognise half of them. Strangely, she thought this suited the occasion rather well; strangers at her wedding to a stranger.

On the day before her wedding, which was a Wednesday, Lily, Marlene and Samantha had made plans to have a small celebration in Marlene's chambers. Lily wasn't terribly excited and could foresee it being more like a funeral than a celebration. Marlene and Samantha were trying their best to stay upbeat and keep Lily's mind on the party tonight.

Night fell and at 8 o'clock after she had eaten her dinner, Lily snuck out of her chambers, her bare feet stinging on the cold marble. Marlene's chambers were only a few corridors away, but Lily ran just to keep her toes from falling off. She knocked lightly on the door and Samantha's face peeked through the crack. She hastily let Lily in and Lily was greeted with the sight of Marlene downing a glass of champagne.

"Well I see you've already gotten started!" Giggled Lily.

"Couldn't wait, sorry," smiled Marlene. "Besides we've got at least four bottles to get through, we need a head start!"

"Right pour me a glass and pass me the peanuts," exclaimed Lily grinning at the prospect of a night in with her friends.

There was a set of exploding snap cards on the table and a set of gobstones (no doubt Samantha's idea).

"I thought we could play some games," laughed Samantha as Marlene passed Lily the bowl of peanuts and her glass. "Just like the rainy days when we visited each other!"

"As fun as that sounds Sam, I'm sure Lily would rather just drown her sorrows. Besides, you always cheat!" Marlene smirked, and as she had guessed Samantha would, she scowled at her. Marlene loved winding her up.

"I never cheat!" Cried Samantha, taking a gulp of champagne.

"I'll drink to that," agreed Lily.

"I think you'd drink to anything tonight..." Sighed Marlene also clinking her glass. They refilled their glasses and slumped into the sofas around the fire. The night went on and as the bottles slowly emptied, so did their heads of any rational thoughts. It was about 12 when Samantha, who under any normal circumstances would have refused the idea completely, thought of sneaking down into the grounds to play in the snow. Being a little hazed and delirious, the other two agreed and all put on Marlene's thick winter cloaks and heavy boots. Marlene being much smaller and petite than Lily and Samantha, who were both quite willowy, had much a smaller cloak size, which came to about Samantha's knees. They had a hysterical giggle fit as she strutted the chambers in the too small boots and tiny cloak.

They finally made it to the sweeping staircase that led down to the grounds. As the three girls rounded a corner, whispering excitedly, they collided with a very solid someone and all let out drunken shrieks before shushing each other urgently. They looked up at the person (or persons, depending on from what angle they looked at them) they had run into. It was a young man, very tall and lean with very dark hair, wrapped in a fur cloak and hiding his face with his collar. Lily could see wrinkles appear under his glasses around his eyes, a sign he was smirking.

"Sorry!" Marlene cried in a loud whisper. The young man shook his head, as if to say, 'it's nothing', before he walked swiftly passed the three giggling girls who ran down the steps before guards could come running after them.

Lily blinking groggily as sunlight streamed in though the curtains of Marlene's room. Marlene's room! Shot thought Lily and crashed off of Marlene's bed and stumbled to the small gilded clock on Marlene's desk. 6:37. Thank god. Lily breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't relax for long though, as she knew her servants would be coming to wake her up at 7 o'clock. She gathered a few things like her dressing gown and a hair ribbon and dashed out of the door after leaving a little note for Marlene and Samantha who were still sleeping on Marlene's bed too to tail. As lily ran through the corridor, despite it being busy with servants, none of them really noticed her presence. It dawned on her that they must have all realised she had had a celebration last night, remembering the noise they had made. She groaned as she pushed open the door and crashed onto her perfectly made bed. Just as long as her mother didn't find out, thought Lily imagining how purple her mothers face would be. The servants wouldn't tell though. It wasn't their place firstly, but Lily thought more that they had covered for her before. When she had spent evening with Severus when she was little, and spontaneous sleepovers with Marlene and Samantha when they had come to visit.

Lily quickly changed her pyjama bottoms, which were muddy and still slightly damp from the girls' escapade in the snow last night, and then hopped under her covers, trying to ignore the faint throbbing in her head.

At precisely seven o'clock, there was a knock at the door. Feigning a just-woken-up voice, Lily called to the servants to come in. At her reply, half a dozen maids in their starched white aprons came marching in, carrying towels and hairbrushes and flowers and boxes, no doubt full of makeup. Lily say up in bed, rubbing her eyes as she observed the organised maids place their equipment down. She obeyed them as two of them bid her to the bathroom to the empty bath tub. One of the younger maids, he must have been fourteen or something, filled the tub with steaming buckets of water she had brought up with her. Scented lotions and soaps where added and the room was soon filled with overwhelming smells of lavender and roses. Lily sat in the tub as they scrubbed her and massaged her head with shampoo. The two girls nattered away about the upcoming event. Lily ha to take some large gulps to stop her from being sick. Her stomach, filled with the fumes from the bath (also worsening her headache) felt like it was being churned by a milkmaid, who was ferociously trying to make butter out of her intestines. Lily climbed out the bath and was wrapped in a fluffy white dressing gown before her hair was immediately brushed and whipped into curlers. Once she had exited the bathroom, Samantha and Marlene had arrived. They two had bathed and were being attended to, having powder and rouge smothered onto their faces. Lily was sat in front of her mirrored dressing table. Some mysterious sweet smelling cream was rubbed into her skin and so began the transformation of Lily's face. She watched in distant interest, whilst her two friends chatted excitedly. Every now and again Lily would nod or give a small "Mh-hm" in agreement. In truth, Lily did not know what to feel. One part of her brain seemed to be whispering to her to be excited, be pleased. She was helping her kingdom after all. She was saving the kingdom a great disaster, and she didn't have to go through all of the meeting and getting to know before she married this man. It was already sorted. It was the half enjoying how her makeup was highlighting and perfecting her face. But the other half of her, (the part more closely related to her heart, Lily deducted) was telling her that this was mad. This half was the side that was causing her hands to shake uncontrollably and her to sit in a kind of trance as everyone around her seemed as if they were at the end of a long tunnel. She couldn't get her mind around the idea that this was for the rest of her life. This was until she died.

Soon her makeup was finished.

"Lils, you look beautiful!" Smiled Samantha. It was a sad smile. A goodbye kind of smile. It made her nose twinge uncomfortably and the corners of her eyes to wrinkle in an attempt at being a dam. Marlene grinned at her. There was a sense no sense of finality in that grin. Lily felt like frowning. Marlene didn't seem to understand that this was the end of a story. Lily told this to her.

"Oh Lily, it's not the end of the story! It's the end of the chapter!" As carefree and insensitive as Marlene was, some of the stuff that came out of her mouth was very wise.

After two hours, Lily's hair, makeup and undergarments where on. Lily shivered in her lacy white petticoat and boned corset. The petticoat was short and a garter was fastened around her thigh. Lily shivered again, but not because she was cold. She hadn't thought about the night after her wedding. She knew what was expected of her, but she wouldn't let this man touch her. However nice he might be, she didn't love him, so he would be sleeping on the sofa.

The layers of Lily's wedding dress were brought through and her cage was the first thing to go on. Made of thick wire, it was designed to keep the skirt full, but not to be comfortable. Layers and layers of pure white silk were fastened around her small waist and at last, the top layer was done up with buttons at the base of her back. The dress was all rich snowy white silk and the back swooped down to the small in her back. The dress then frothed out in cascades of silk and lace. The sleeves were three quarter length and a small fur caplet draped over her bare shoulders. A long veil was placed on her red ringlets, styled into a half up half down. The time was now 9:30. It was time to make their way to the cathedral where Lily was to be united with someone in marriage. Samantha and Marlene led the way in their bridesmaids dresses of clear blue, also full and impractical. They were followed by five other bridesmaids whom Lily had only met briefly before, and a flower girl who had a permanent scowl on her face.

They took a roomy carriage pulled by four white horses to the cathedral in the centre of the town beneath the Gryffindor castle. The carriage struggled up the icy roads but made it just in time. Before Lily could register what was happening, the large doors opened and a thousand people stood to attention watching her enter. In a daze, Lily's eyes accidentally grazed the sight straight ahead of her. The back of a dark haired man standing at the altar. Even from this distance beneath his thick woken soldiers trousers, she could see his leg wobbling nervously. His scarlet coat shine as though a beacon from the end of the aisle. 'Just make it to end' thought Lily. She wasn't sure herself whether this meant the aisle, or... But with each step she came closer to the priest standing at the end. Before she realised, she was standing at the altar. Closing her eyes, Lily tilted her head up to see her soon-to-be husband.


	2. Chapter 2

The Arrangement

Chapter 2

Lily felt a hoarse blockage in her throat. Her hands were shaking so hard she thought try might fall off.

The young man who stood in front of her was very tall, he had round horn rimmed glasses that covered his hazel eyes. His jaw was definite and his nose straight. His black hair came floppily down from the top of his head, uncontrollably messy. He gave a small smile as Lily looked up at him. As he did this, Lily suddenly recognised him. The small wrinkles around his eyes. But Lily didn't have time to think about where she could recognise him from. His large shaking hands took hers and the ceremony began. Hymns were sung and long winded passages spoken by the priest, during which Lily thought she heard the young man suppress a sigh, until it came to the vows.

"Do you, James, take Lily to be your wife?" This boy, turned to give Lily a confirming look with his sparkling hazel eyes, before saying ; "I do."

Then it was Lily's turn she felt a thousand pairs of eyes on her as she gasped the words "I do," after a pause. Her stomach clenched. Her chest gave a worrying shudder and she turned to see James looking at her strangely. She was further disconcerted by the slight smirk on the right side of his face.

"I now pronounce you Husband and Wife! You may kiss the bride!" Cried the priest as though he was proclaiming that Christmas had come early. James leaned in and Lily clenched her eyes shut, although she tried to make it less obvious she was avoiding his lips, she was fully aware of the thousands of eyes upon her. His lips touched hers and a strange feeling came over her. She wanted to sink into the kiss, wanted to welcome this tingling in her fingers and warmth of his lips, but then also wanted to throw him to the floor and wash her mouth out with bleach. Lily almost smiled as she imagined that thought. The bespectacled young man pulled away, smirking slightly, the right corner of his mouth stretched at a jaunty angle. Lily felt no emotion sweep her face. This only made Jame grin at the floor before taking her arm and leading her down the aisle.

Lily couldn't process what had just happened. She processed the fact that she had just been married, she had had the whole ceremony to think about that and over think every thought that came into her head. But no. What she couldn't process was what she had just experienced when he had kissed her. That was how she saw it. He had leant down, initiated the kiss, stole the kiss even. But, it felt different from when Sev had kissed her. She had a different feeling of stolen completely associated with Severus's kiss. But how many feelings of stolen can you feel? As Lily thought all of this, James led her from the church, the bells ringing their loudest, down the snow covered steps and down towards their carriage, which was pulled by four greys. There were white roses and white lilies decorating the doors and front seat of the carriage all highlighted beautifully with gold and cream ribbon. Lily grimaced as she felt the cold snow dampening her silk shoes.

"I reckon you must be tired of damp feet after last night..." James murmured spotting her grimace. Lily gasped and looked at him with utter shock and humiliation. He merely smiled and winked at her.

The journey from the church had been interesting, it had begun snowing again as the happy couple waved silently out the windows of their carriage to the people crowding the streets of the town. They feigned smiles and clasped hands loosely in a faux representation of how devoted they were to each other. Although she knew that James wouldn't have told anyone about her and her friends escapade last night, it still made her uneasy. She had hardly been decent last night and she must have looked a mess. Besides, now he had a card to play. She had a feeling he might use it against her.

When they arrived at the palace, James helped her out of the carriage. Lily gave him a stony look and he continued his pretence of utmost happiness. Lily looked around at the people crowding the gate, the citizens of the town. She gave them a small wave as she tightened her fur caplet around her shoulders. Her eyes ran over the ordinary people. How lovely it would be to be one of them, to not have any responsibilities. Her eyes fell onto a small girl with pigtails gazing through the gates. Lily gave a small sigh and began to turn when something caught her eye. It almost made her faint with fear. She thought she had caught sight of a black cloak and Death Eater mask. Lily blinked and felt the colour drain from her face. She searched the crowds again, but saw no sign of the mask. Lily felt a from grip of her upper arm.

"Are you alright?" Whispered her husbands voice.

Lily pulled her arm out of his grip and continued up the steps.

"Yes. Why wouldn't I be?" Lily snapped under her breath.

"I don't know, you didn't really look well."

"Oh thanks..." Muttered Lily throwing him a dirty look from under her eyelashes. What she had seen had really scared her. The idea of a Death Eater in Gryffindor was more terrifying than getting married to someone you'd never met.

"Ok, I just-" James lowered his voice as guards came to escort them through the corridors, flooded with red carpets. "I just saw you go all pale and your eyes kind of went all glazed. And I was kind of-"

"Stop talking. You don't need to talk." Whispered Lily, taken aback by her own rudeness.

"Wow ok, just trying to help... But you know you are gonna have to talk to me at some point, I mean I am your husband now..." Maybe it was what he had said, or all the pressure on her at the moment, or the irritating smirk of his face, that she otherwise wouldn't have found that bad to look at, or maybe all of those things, made her snap. Lily picked up her pace and told one of the guards to escort her to the bathroom before the portrait sitting. She marched away massaging her head where her hair was pulled too tight.

James sat on a plush armchair in a chamber off one of the long corridors. He gazed into space as he waited for Lily to return. His friends had always said some girls wouldn't appreciate his teasing sense of humour. His parents just had to pick a girl who wouldn't. A girl who apparently had no sense of humour at all.

James sighed and out his head in his hands. He knew this was necessary, for the good of all of the kingdoms opposing Lord Voldemort and his army. But seriously? Humour was the one thing that kept him sane when he was living in his castle back in Ravenclaw, and his parents had to pick a girl who couldn't even take some half hearted teasing. He ran his hands through his hair. At least she was pretty, James thought subconsciously. She was actually very pretty, that wasn't a bad thing, but maybe that was all for nothing if he couldn't even have a normal conversation with her. Maybe he should have tried adult conversation. Talking about the weather, politics, the estate. She seemed like the kind of girl to enjoy those sort of conversations. James wondered whether he would be virtually alone for the rest of his life, he would not only be starved of conversation, but female company. He had no doubt that he would be sleeping on the sofa tonight and was preparing himself for back pain the next morning and for all the wrong reasons. Ah well, he thought, she would warm to him, he had made every other girl so far warm to him even if they weren't particularly his type. After a good half an hour, the arrival of his wife was announced and the newly weds were escorted to the artist's chamber. They were positioned with Lily seated on a gilded stool and James standing over her, his hand clasped on her shoulder. He could feel the girl squirming inside to be free of his grip, so he curled his fingers tighter. Lily's hands, which were delicately laid in her lap, twitched and her eyelashes flickered uncomfortably. Oh what fun this was thought James.

"Look up, girl! Into his eyes! You love him, you are devoted soul body and mind!" Cried the artist who had been telling her the same thing for a good deal of time. "Like hell I am..." Lily muttered between her teeth as she jutted her chin upward so her face was aligned with her husbands. Husband. That felt strange to say, her loving husband with whom she would have an entire life with. A fake life, Lily told herself. James on the other hand was quite enjoying himself as Lily stared into his eyes with a stormy resentment towards him. This was how they all started, but then in the end, they all wanted to marry him, well she was the lucky one it seemed. She really was very pretty. He wondered what she would look like when she wasn't done up like this, he supposed he would find out tonight. He guessed she would have freckles. Cute. The green eyes staring up at him had softened as he had zoned out but then hardened again like molten lava returning to its cold solid state. He would give her a real taste of his humour late but he felt the artist might slap him if he moved. Instead, trying to hold back a smirk, James made small circles on the revealed skin of her back. At first she didn't really register the contact to her bare flesh but then let out a little squeak and screeched her chair away on the wooden floor.

"Madame! Please!" Shrieked the artist in frustration.

"Come on, dear, the faster this is finished, the faster we can see our reception," James smiles innocently, speaking as though she was a little bird. Lily's stomach did a leap and a scowl clouded her face. She returned to her spot and sat a little straighter than usual and her arms a little more set and carved as if from stone. The artist gasped and muttered in frustration as James returned his thumb to the groove of her shoulder blade and upper back. Her jaw gritted together and her eyes continued to rage like a rainforest in a monsoon. As the artist had completed the skeleton for the painting, the newly weds were free to spend some quality time together for precisely twenty minutes before they were to enter their late lunch and reception at 3 o'clock. Lily's stomach was growling with hunger as they entered a chamber just off of the great hall where they would wait their twenty minutes, Lily hoped in silence. Her anxiousness had reached a peak during their portrait seating. His thumb, although not invading any personal space had felt like a violation. Not only was she completely unnerved, but she was also outraged. If he thought he could come in here and think that they could immediately be husband and wife, he was very very wrong. James had slumped into a arm chair and has his hand over his eyes and has sagged into the plushly furnished chair. Lily stiff stiffly, eyeing him suspiciously. James pretended he hadn't noticed she was doing this but was secretly beaming with success under her attention. She would definitely warm to him, even if she didn't want to. James hadn't really considered what married life would be like, he didn't normally think very far ahead and taking the step of marrying someone wasn't an exception. He wondered what would be expected of them. Would the kingdoms expect them to be in love? He supposed so, the kingdoms opposing Lord Voldemort needed moral strengthening. Another thought struck his subconscious. Would they be expected to have an heir? Probably. That thought was a mystifying one. On the one hand Lily was a beautiful girl... On the other, he wasn't sure he was ready for a child. Plus Lily would never sleep with him, for now at least. He wouldn't make her, that wasn't the way he did things. Normally, the girl would come to him. James had slept with three girls in total. Only once each. He wasn't sure why, or what he was thinking, but twice he had been drunk, and the first he had been desperate to prove himself. Sirius, his best friend had been boasting about how many ladies he had been with, and was poking fun at the fact that James had no experience. Enraged and empowered, James had taken advantage of the fact that a very beautiful blonde had been in their company that night, by the name of Daisy Bones. It definitely hadn't been his proudest moment, but he hoped that his grand total of three wouldn't be three until he died. He had heard of Lords who had ladies of the night as they called them, but James wasn't sure. It seemed a bit like cheating. Not only cheating on Lily, but cheating at the game of encouraging his wife.

He wouldn't give in to his drive. Not until Lily gave into hers.

Knowing that Lily was the pleased with the silence, James spoke some of his thoughts.

"I wonder what our families expect of us..." James spoke into the silent space between the couple. Lily simply shrugged her shoulders and scowled. Fine. He would ask a more personal thing.

"Do you think our parents will expect us to carry on the family line?" There was the reaction he'd hoped for. Lily shivered and crossed her arms, taking a gulp. Unlike James, Lily had been thinking about this since she had heard of this marriage. That was the point of marriage wasn't it? Having children, raising a family. Lily didn't voice this, she simply said "I 'spose," in a emotionless voice.

"You know," said James getting a little irritated at how unresponsive she was. "We are going to pretend we're in love. We are going to have to act like we would die for each other. Not for our parents, but for the three kingdoms facing the enemy. That means you're kinda gonna have to talk to me." James finished his small proclamation and kicked his feet up into a coffee table. Lily's mouth was hanging open, waiting for her voice box to work and come back with a witty response that would have normally come flooding out her mouth, but she didn't know what to say. He was right, she couldn't deny that she was and that she had to. Just- now wasn't the right time.

"I know." Lily murmured after a while. "It's just you're going to have to earn my company instead of assume that now we're married I have to be all chummy with you..."

"Well you seemed to enjoy my company at the altar," James retorted.

"That was before you actually spoke to me properly," replied Lily in a scathing voice.

"Oh ouch. Doesn't change the fact that I'm your husband. You're my wife. I belong to you. You belong to me, deal with it." Lily opened her mouth in disbelief, ready for a witty comeback to come tumbling out her mouth, but no words came. Before the silence expanded too long however, there was a knock at the door. A couple of guards entered and announced that it was time for the banquet. Lily marched past James glowering, her brow furrowed crossly.


	3. Chapter 3

Hey guys! I'm sorry about the waits in between these chapters, I thought I would take the approach of long chapters every so often. I'd be interested to hear what you thought of this chapter, I know there's been a lot of drinking so far, but I promise it's going to calm down on that front. Anyway, please review if you liked it (or not). Thanks, Rosiboze

Chapter 3

Lily stood chewing her tongue, arms crossed and toes wriggling impatiently. James caught up with her outside the enormous double oak doors where they were to enter their reception an banquet.

One of Lily's mothers Lady in waiting came to instruct the couple. Lily recognised her as Beatrice Runcorn.

"Now dears, you're going to enter through the doors and make your way down the centre aisle of the tables. Remember to circle around the right side of the head table and come to sit together. Princess on the left, Prince on the right. Ok? So Prince, take her arm, that's it. No, no, come a little closer together. You can't appear as though you detest each other!" James tried to hold in a burst of laughter. Lily did not seem impressed.

"After the banquet, the hall shall be exited and there shall be a short interlude between the banquet and the ball. At the ball you are expected to open the dance, I hope that you both know a waltz?" The both of them nodded. Normally, Lily would have been excited by a dance, especially a waltz. The waltz was one she practised with Sev. James on the other hand hated dancing. Not only due to his two left feet, but also the fact that dancing wasn't in his eyes getting to know someone or really engaging with them. He was always too focused on the steps than speaking to the person he was dancing with. He supposed that was a good thing in this situation.

"Right! It is time! Now smile, and stand close, that's it!" Beatrice gave a satisfied smile as James shuffled closer to Lily's side.

The large doors swung open before them and were greeted with the sight of 350 people, all of noble blood all dressed in their finery applauding the newly weds as they entered the hall. The couple seated themselves at the head table as instructed. Only once the couple had sat down, the guests seated themselves and helped themselves to the banquet before them.

The banquet lasted around three hours before the guests politely gave their congratulations to the couple, before exiting through the oak doors to prepare themselves for the ball. Throughout the banquet, the newly weds didn't speak to each other much at all, instead making the most f the time they did not have to socialise.

It was about half past 6 by the time all the guests had wished them well and the couple were free to spend some time with each other in a large drawing room for an hour before the ball at 7:30, time of course for dressing in new decadent outfits. They walked about three feet apart on their way to the chamber, in awkward silence. They came to sit in the extravagantly spacious drawing room. In the corner was a piano and stool, and opposite a love-seat and two large arm chairs. Lily sat on the love-seat, spreading herself out as much as possible. James sat on one of the chairs. As he let his eyes travel the room, he spotted a cabinet of spirits and liquors. An idea sparked in his mind and a plan formed. Perhaps she would loosen up once she had a bit of alcohol in her. He made his way over to the gilded cabinet and undid the latch.

"Oh no, you don't!" Cried Lily, sitting up. "This is no time to get drunk!"

"Relax, I'm just going to have a glass, just to loosen up a little. You should too, you seem so uptight, and I don't know, knotted..." Lily secretly thought this was quite an accurate analogy and did admit she really wanted a drink. Just a glass of cognac looked as if it would do a lot.

James poured himself a generous glass. He had put out another glass beside it but did not fill it. Yet.

He slowly sipped the golden liquid and relished in its immediate effects. He felt Lily's eyes on him and gave a gasping sigh of satisfaction.

"Pour me one will you," she muttered. He grinned at her.

"Don't be too proud, I'm only having one glass. Today has been rather a lot to take in."

"There you go..." He said through curled lips at his own genius. Their hands touched ever so slightly and she felt as though a spider was scuttling from the point of contact right her to her chest. It was an odd sensation.

Lily took the glass and took a large gulp. James had only poured her a small one knowing that way she would ask for another. He himself had already finished and was pouring himself another.

"I thought you said you were only having one?" Lily exclaimed, a little bit of cognac dribbling down her chin. James had to stop himself laughing.

"Turns out today need a few more glasses to wash it down." He took a gulp of his fresh glass. Lily had now finished her first. She looked at the bottle then at her glass. What the heck,she thought, forgetting her low threshold to intoxication.

"I feel the same, pour me another, slightly larger this time."

"If you wish you majesty..." James simpered, already a little tipsy.

They sat in silence as they wallowed with their alcohol and own thoughts. The only thing they said to each other for a while was 'pour another glass', until Lily spoke. James was surprised at her starting the conversation but decided not to point this out.

"You know, I recognise you from last night."

"Do you now..." James challenged, a butterfly fluttering in his stomach. She did recognise him.

"Yeah, you didn't tell on us."

"Ah I might vaguely remember," he taunted, of course he remembered. It wasn't a sight he would forget easily. Three beautiful girls, drunk and out of their minds giggling their way loudly downstairs.

"But my question is," said Lily slyly. "What were you doing out of bed at that hour?" Ah, thought James. That wasn't something he was willing to say.

"Well that's a tough question, one I probably can't even answer myself."

"Oh. I thought there was going to a much more horrid and disturbing reason." Lily said appearing disappointed. Silence returned to the two of them. Time passed slowly until it came to seven o'clock and they were whisked away to be dressed. James went without a care, but Lily was a little nervous that the maids would notice she was a little tipsy. However this was hard to hide, after all she had already had four glasses. James had had five but he seemed a lot more used to alcohol that Lily. Ugh, he was so hard to read, thought Lily as her maids undressed her and clothed her in her evening dress, a grey satin garment that was low cut at the front and was slightly less full than her wedding dress. She watched as her wedding dress was carried away.

"Where's it going?" Cried Lily without thinking, her mind clouded with drink.

"Don't worry your majesty, it is being taken to your carriage that is awaiting you after the ball for when ever you wish to depart for your castle in the Gryffindor valleys." Explained one maid who was round faced and rosy cheeked. Lily felt a jealousy of the young girl swarm like a cloud of bees in her chest. She didn't have to get married by force. She didn't have to move away into the country by herself. She didn't have to marry what's-his-name who's fault it was she was brain dead because of alcohol!

Lily looked to the ground, her chest rising and falling steadily, trying to calm herself. Tonight already, she would be staying in a castle so far from home with an almost stranger. This felt so wrong and strange. Maybe it was because she was hormonal or she didn't have control of herself, but she felt like crying. The maids continued their work on her hair and makeup, but looked anxiously at each other noticing the tears in their mistresses eyes.

In came to 7:25 and Lily was ready. She had managed to keep the tears from spilling like an avalanche down her cheeks, but her nose still stung and her eyes still pricked.

She met with James just outside the ballroom. He had changed too, into a navy tail coat and waistcoat.

Lily blinked and felt herself needing another drink a she noticed just how dashing he looked. He blinked as well. She felt his eyes travel down from her face and down and down until they reached the hem of her dress touching the floor. Lily gulped and blushed under his gaze but stared adamantly into his hazel eyes, wrapping her silver grey fur shawl around her shoulders tightly. James took her gloved arm and tried not to sway from the drink as he walked into the hall.

The evening was, shall we say an interesting one. I as a writer could try and explain what was so hysterically funny about the baron Samuel van Malten's hair cut, or lady Camilla Teroys shoes, but unless you were there and as intoxicated as Lily was, none of it would make the slightest sense to you or me.

After the newly weds first dance, Lily seemed to think the best way of coping through the rest of the day and the evening ahead of her was to down as many champagnes that came her way. It was the difficult and tedious job of her husband to switch her full glasses for empty ones, or dilute them with water. He himself had almost completely sobered up from their little binge in the drawing room by taking large gulps of water. This did unfortunately leave him desperate to go to the toilet, and at the same time, unwilling to leave Lily unless she gravely disgraced herself.

This was a difficult situation, but James was coping. He wanted to leave soon. It was becoming hard work, trying to convince the guests that she was just a little over excited. This was particularly tricky when she screamed in happiness when he saw her two bestfriends, Samantha and Marlene. Luckily they were soon asked to dance by tall Hufflepuff men, and Lily calmed down a little.

"Isn't this just a wonderful day?" Exclaimed the young girl, gazing up at James, her slightly dazed expression almost evoking a smile from him. He sighed and decided there and then that it was time to go. He felt a little sorry for her, she was being displayed and her parents hadn't come over to see her once, they were too busy socialising with important lords and barons.

"Hey, Lily, I think it's time to go..."

He murmured in her ear. She blinked a couple of times, as though shocked he would ask such a thing.

"But, we're having so much fun! Besides they're coming round with another tray of champagne..."

"Precisely why I think now's a good time to leave. Come on. Lily. Let's go." James linked arms with her and bade the lords and ladies good night on his way to the door. Lily waved and hiccupped at a few people and managed to keep her mouth shut. Luckily, she didn't seem that drunk to anyone else, they all seemed to think she was just a little excited. She surprisingly, didn't sound slurred at all, and had been able to keep most of he pronunciation pretty good, only every now and again she would hiccup. Her legs were wobbling slightly but James kept a steady arm and she clung to it. He could tell she was hammered. She wouldn't be clinging to him so tightly if it weren't for the drink. They had almost reached the door when Amelia and George, Lily's parents came to wish them goodnight and bid them goodbye. Her mother bumped cheeks with her daughter and pursed her lips. She could evidently detect something was slightly off. Her father on the other hand was so intoxicated himself that he didn't even notice she was standing right before him.

James, gripping Lily's arm tightly steered her away from her parents. They were waved off by a gathering of eager guests as they clambered into the stagecoach that was to take them to their country house.

James let out a huge sigh of relief as he finally collapsed beside his wife. She was chattering away about something or other, but James wasn't listening. He was too tired and the overwhelming day had got the better of him, he slowly drifted off into an uncomfortable sleep.

James was awoken by a sudden bang at around 11 thirty at night. They had been in the coach for around an hour and a half. James jumped awake from a strange dream about the Death Eaters. They had were ambushing a young rotund, sandy haired man. He had tried to stop them but they didn't seem able to hear him. They finally managed to stun the young man and he fell in such a way that James just managed to catch his face (a face he distantly recognised) before he woke up from the bang. There was another loud bang like a gunshot, this time reciprocated with a cry. James removed a sleeping Lily off his shoulder and peered through the window. There were flashes of light bursting through the trees as the coach picked up speed. They couldn't- they couldn't be being attacked? James quickly checked that Lily was soundly asleep before opening the door of the coach just enough to speak to the driver.

"Sire!" The driver cried. "Sire get back inside, I fear the worst! I fear they are Deatheaters!"

"Travel as quickly as possible! The sooner we make it to the castle the better! We will be safe there!"

"Of course! Now sire please protect yourself and your wife, stay inside!"

James quickly shut the door of the carriage and turned to see a drowsy Lily looking up groggily at him.

"Is there something wrong?" She murmured.

How much had she heard?

"Nothing, honestly. We're fine, just a bump in the road, go back to sleep."

She didn't need telling twice, the alcohol still had its grasp on her and she fell back into a deep sleep. Seeing as she wasn't conscious, James thought it was safe to rest her head on his lap. He couldn't fall asleep again, he kept on replaying the eery bangs, and thinking about what the Deatheaters intentions had been.

It was late by the time Lily and James arrived at their new house.

Lily had woken up and was still pretty much off her head even though she had slept for about two hours. James helped her up the steps of the large house. Is was a creamy white building, tall and turreted, with large arched windows in rows and the large front steps up to the door were wide and elegant. The doors were opened for them and they entered a beautiful entrance hall with marble floors and a sweeping staircase that led to the many upper floors. The halls were dark, and James could tell that there weren't many people up. They made their way up to their chambers, James hauling Lily up the staircase. The door to their chamber on the second floor was opened by a maid and they entered, James half dragging Lily inside. It was a beautiful room, the bed was in another apartment of the room, a king size four poster, draped with white linen, the sheets made from white silk and scattered with pink rose petals (James thought that was a bit cheesy) and the sheer linen curtains fluttered in the breeze from an open window.

"Goodnight, your majesties," said the maid as she shut the door with a knowing smile. James let go of Lily's shoulder and went to close the open window, he didn't think the floor would be too warm. Just then, James spun around as he heard a crash from behind a door, which must have been Lily. He groaned.

"Lily? You okay?"

"Oh yeah, I'm fine, I'm just freshening up in the bathroom!" She called from behind the door.

Freshening up? What did she mean? James was utterly confused and also filled with a slight dread.

He heard another loud crash and knocked on the door.

"Are you sure you're alright Lily?"

"Yeah I just- I can't- can you-"

"Lil-?"

The door swung open and Lily stood with her back facing him, the lacing of her dress in a great tangle. Oh, he thought. Freshening up; Lily really had drunk a lot.

"Undo the dress, James," She cried, in frustration as he stood there in shock for a few seconds.

"Um Lily, I don't think you actually want to do this-"

"Of course I do! You're my husband now, we have to have lots of lovely children and this is our wedding night!"

"No Lily, I, er you may want to do this, but I can't. You're drunk, Lily."

"Am not!"

"Lily believe me, you are."

She turned around to face him. Her eyes pleading in a puppy dog fashion.

"Please be a good husband?"

"Lily, no, you'll regret this tomorrow. Just calm down and promise you won't do anything stupid. You've had a lot of champagne."

"Fine..." Lily grumbled. "But I need to take the dress off anyway to get my pyjamas on, so can you pleasey pleasey please undo my dress?"

"Alright, turn around." James fumbled with the ties as his fingers shook, trying to avoid contact with her skin, as each time he touched her undoing a particularly difficult knot, he felt she was going to turn and pounce on him.

Finally he untangled the last tie.

"There you go, best drink some water and sleep, you're gonna have a rough morning tomorrow..."

James said this as he took a spare sheet from one of the wardrobes and laid it on the hard cold floor, taking off his boots and jacket so he was in his cotton shirt and navy woollen suit trousers.

Lily hadn't moved from where she was standing, apart from having turned around to watch what he was doing.

"Aren't you gonna put your pjs on?" He asked, nervously. She was so unpredictable in this state, he just wanted to settle down on his makeshift bed and forget all about the Deatheaters, his wedding, how his plan to make her loosen up was making him pay now, and overall the past day.

"Why are you putting that duvet on the floor?" She asked slightly emotionally. James took a few cautious steps towards her. What was she trying to do?

"Um, it's where I'm sleeping, I mean we only met today, I dot know if it would be appropria-" but before he could finish, Lily lunged and kissed him full on the lips, moving her mouth desperately, pushing him back as he tried to pull away. Finally, he did manage to pull away and instead of trying to kiss him again, as he had expected her to, he was surprised to see she had lowered her head and her shoulders began to shake violently as she began to cry. Her hands covered her face, trying to hide her blotchy red eyes.

James, still in slight shock, took her into an embrace without out really thinking. He rubbed her back comfortingly. He stroked her hair softly. He knew he had to be sympathetic. This was exactly what he felt like doing so he just held her and comforted her. She cried into his chest and James felt his shirt becoming damp, but he didn't let go, he just held her and whispered reassurance.


End file.
